Howes, Katey. Where the Deer Slip Through. Beth Krommes, Illus. Beach Lane, 06/2025. [32]pp. Picture Book. Trade $19.99. 978-1-6659-1827-5. GRADES Preschool–2. OUTSTANDING.
From dawn until nightfall, we watch as various pine forest animals enter a farm through a gap in the stone fence. The rhyming text uses a cumulative pattern similar to “The House That Jack Built,” beginning “This is the hedge that grew and grew. The wall of stone a bit askew.” Rabbits, birds, lizards, bats, and other creatures are described and shown close-up in the artwork, and the text is equally adept at creating a quiet, bucolic landscape. The distinctive illustrations were created using scratchboard, ink, and watercolor, and resemble woodblock prints. This is a great choice for storytime. The author died in 2024.
Penny Peck—San José State University iSchool